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Berenstain Bears Publisher Urged To Cut Ties With Chick-fil-A

Drive through customers wait in line at a Chick-fil-A restaurant on Aug. 1, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas. (credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The publisher of the Berenstain Bears children’s books is being urged to cut ties with Chick-fil-A because of its president’s statements opposing gay marriage.

Three organizations said Wednesday they delivered petitions with 80,000 signatures to HarperCollins. The petitions demand the New York-based publishing house end the Berenstain Bears’ affiliation with the national fast-food chain and say the beloved bears teach the importance of standing against bigotry.

The petitions urge HarperCollins to follow the lead of the Jim Henson Co., which pulled its Muppet toys from Chick-fil-A kids’ meals. A similar campaign with Berenstain Bears is slated for this month.

The creators of the Berenstain Bears, who are based in southeastern Pennsylvania, say they don’t have control over whether the promotion proceeds. They have asked people with concerns to contact HarperCollins.